Low poll numbers highlight problems for President Bush

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WASHINGTON - More and more people, particularly
Republicans, disapprove of President Bush's performance, question
his character and no longer consider him a strong leader against
terrorism, according to an AP-Ipsos poll documenting one of the
bleakest points of his presidency.

Nearly four out of five Americans, including 70 percent of
Republicans, believe civil war will break out in Iraq - the bloody
hot spot upon which Bush has staked his presidency. Nearly 70
percent of people say the U.S. is on the wrong track, a 6-point
jump since February.

Republican Party leaders said the survey explains why GOP
lawmakers are rushing to distance themselves from Bush on a range
of issues - port security, immigration, spending, warrantless
eavesdropping and trade, for example.

The positioning is most intense among Republicans facing
election in November and those considering 2008 presidential
campaigns.

"You're in the position of this cycle now that is difficult
anyway. In second term off-year elections, there gets to be a
familiarity factor," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., a potential
presidential candidate.

"People have seen and heard (Bush's) ideas long enough and that
enters into their thinking. People are kind of, `Well, I wonder
what other people can do,"' he said.

The poll suggests that most Americans wonder whether Bush is up
to the job. The survey, conducted Monday through Wednesday of 1,000
people, found that just 37 percent approve of his overall
performance. That is the lowest of his presidency.

Bush's job approval among Republicans plummeted from 82 percent
in February to 74 percent, a dangerous sign in a midterm election
year when parties rely on enthusiasm from their most loyal voters.
The biggest losses were among white males.

On issues, Bush's approval rating declined from 39 percent to 36
percent for his handling of domestic affairs and from 47 percent to
43 percent on foreign policy and terrorism. His approval ratings
for dealing with the economy and Iraq held steady, but still
hovered around 40 percent.

Personally, far fewer Americans consider Bush likable, honest,
strong and dependable than they did just after his re-election
campaign.

By comparison, Presidents Clinton and Reagan had public approval
in the mid 60s at this stage of their second terms in office, while
Eisenhower was close to 60 percent, according to Gallup polls.
Nixon, who was increasingly tangled up in the Watergate scandal,
was in the high 20s in early 1974.

The AP-Ipsos poll, which has a margin of error of 3 percentage
points, gives Republicans reason to worry that they may inherit
Bush's political woes.

Two-thirds of the public disapproves of how
the GOP-led Congress is handling its job and a surprising 53
percent of Republicans give Congress poor marks.

By a 47-36 margin, people favor Democrats over Republicans when
they are asked who should control Congress.

While the gap worries Republicans, it does not automatically
translate into GOP defeats in November, when voters will face a
choice between local candidates rather than considering Congress as
a whole.

In addition, strategists in both parties agree that a divided
and undisciplined Democratic Party has failed to seize full
advantage of Republican troubles.

"While I don't dispute the fact that we have challenges in the
current environment politically, I also believe 2006 as a choice
election offers Republicans an opportunity if we make sure the
election is framed in a way that will keep our majorities in the
House and the Senate," said Ken Mehlman, chairman of the
Republican National Committee.

Stung by criticism, senior officials at the White House and the
RNC are reminding GOP members of Congress that Bush's approval
ratings may be low, but theirs is lower and have declined at the
same pace as Bush's. The message to GOP lawmakers is that
criticizing the president weakens him - and them - politically.

"When issue like the internal Republican debate over the ports
dominates the news it puts us another day away from all of us
figuring out what policies we need to win," said Terry Nelson, a
Republican consultant and political director for Bush's re-election
campaign in 2004.

Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned
company on Thursday abandoned its quest to take over operations at
several U.S. ports.

Bush had pledged to veto any attempt to block
the transaction, pitting him against Republicans in Congress and
most voters.

All this has Republican voters like Walter Wright of Fairfax
Station, Va., worried for their party.

"We've gotten so carried away I wouldn't be surprised to see
the Democrats take it because of discontent," he said. "People
vote for change and hope for the best."

Associated Press writer Will Lester and AP Manager of News
Surveys Trevor Tompson contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)